Elliptical exercise machine

ABSTRACT

An elliptical exercise machine in which a raise angle of an elliptical path can be adjusted consists of a foot base, a pair of arms, a pair of foot pedaling members, and a raise angle member. When handle parts are held by hands, an opposite exercise can be taken by a left and right grip pole, as the arms are coupled to pedal rods, and a roller slides on a link rod. When both feet step on pedals, the pedal rods will slide on the link rods which drive a pulley to operate, by a function of the foot pedaling members, to achieve a purpose of workout. Furthermore, by using the raise angle member, the pedal rods and the link rods will have a change of raise angle, and the raise angle of the elliptical path is adjusted.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an elliptical exercise machine, andmore particularly to an elliptical exercise machine in which a raiseangle of an elliptical path can be adjusted. The elliptical exercisemachine includes a foot base, grip poles, foot pedaling members, and araise angle member. When a user holds handle parts, he or she can carryout an opposite exercise by a left and right grip pole, with one grippole being pulled toward the user, and the other grip pole being pushedaway from the user, as arms are coupled to pedal rods, and a roller issliding on a link rod. Accordingly, by pulling toward or pushing awayfrom the user with the handle parts, the user can exercise his or herhands, whereas both feet can step on foot pedals with one foot up andthe other foot down, such that when a left foot exerts force to step ona left pedal, by a function of the foot pedaling member, a pedal rod canslide on a link rod which drives a pulley to operate, thereby achievinga purpose of workout. On the other hand, by using the raise anglemember, the pedal rods and the link rods of the exercise machine canhave a change of raise angle, such that the raise angle of theelliptical path can be adjusted.

b) Description of the Prior Art

Although an indoor exercise apparatus is used in a different way than anoutdoor exercise, all kinds of existing indoor exercise apparatus ofvarious fields can be used for training muscles in all parts of a humanbody, allowing a consumer to perform a physical training at home or in aroom, to achieve a purpose of workout or rehabilitation. Therefore, theindoor exercise apparatus has been widely appreciated by generalconsumers. For example, a jogging machine, a stair-stepping machine, arowing machine, or a stationary bicycle, is the indoor exerciseapparatus that is commonly selected and used by the consumers. On theother hand, under continuous new development of the indoor exerciseapparatus in recent years, an elliptical exercise machine, which formsan elliptic path, is even widely appreciated by the general consumers.However, in spite that the existing exercise machine is still providedwith the effect of physical training, the path formed when theconventional elliptical exercise machine is operating is only a singlemode, and an angle of that path cannot be adjusted; in other words, aresistance setting of an exerciser cannot be changed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an ellipticalexercise machine that a raise angle of path can be adjusted. Theelliptical exercise machine includes a foot base, a pair of grip poles,a pair of foot pedaling members, and a raise angle member, wherein thefoot pedaling members and the grip poles can be coupled together to forman elliptic path upon usage, and variation of different angles can beformed to the foot pedaling members by the raise angle member, such thatthe elliptical paths at different raise angles can be achieved.

To enable a further understanding of the said objectives and thetechnological methods of the invention herein, the brief description ofthe drawings below is followed by the detailed description of thepreferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of structures at a left side of thepresent invention.

FIGS. 3 to 6 show plan views of operations of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of an operation of a raise angle member ofthe present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of a bracket for installing a roller inthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an elliptical exercise machine of thepresent invention includes a foot base 1, a pair of left and right arms2, a pair of left and right foot pedaling members 3, and a raise anglemember 4.

The foot base 1 is composed of a front underframe 11 and a rearunderframe 12, the front underframe 11 is located at a front end of thefoot base 1, and is disposed with an upright post 10. A pulley 5 isinstalled at the aforementioned post 10, and a left and right side ofthe pulley 5 is provided respectively with a crank 32. The rearunderframe 12 is located at a tail end of the foot base 1, and ispivoted with the raise angle member 4.

The left and right arms 2 are disposed at two sides of theaforementioned post 10, and upper ends of the left and right arms 2 arehandle parts 21 to be held by a user.

Each of the left and right foot pedaling members 3 includes a link rod31, a pedal rod 34, and an adjustment rod 8. An end of theaforementioned link rod 31 is pivoted on the aforementioned crank 32,and a rear end is disposed with a frame seat 30 on which is providedwith a movable roller 33. An end of the adjustment rod 8 is pivoted onthe aforementioned arm 2, and the other end is pivoted on the link rod31. An end of the pedal rod 34 is pivoted on the aforementioned arm 2,at a location close to a bottom end, and a tail end of the pedal rod 34is coupled to the aforementioned link rod 31 by crossing over the linkrod 31 with a roller 36 (as shown in FIG. 2). A top surface close to atail end of the aforementioned pedal rod 34 is disposed with a footpedal 35 to be stepped on by the user.

The raise angle member 4 includes a shaft seat 40 and a drive seat 44.The drive seat 44 is provided with a motor 41, and a stretcher 43. Aleft and right side of the aforementioned shaft seat 40 is fixedrespectively on the aforementioned rear underframe 12 with a bracket401, and the shaft seat 40 is extended with a plurality of slide rods13. The slide rod 13 allows the roller 33 at the tail end of theaforementioned link rod 31 to cross over on it, and a bottom end of theslide rod 13 is fixed with a fixing rod 46. The drive seat 44 isdisposed on the aforementioned rear underframe 12, and is provided withthe stretcher 43. An end of the stretcher 43 is pivoted on theaforementioned fixing rod 46. When the motor 41 operates to result in achange of stroke of elongation or shortening for an inner screw 42 ofthe aforementioned stretcher 43, the shaft seat 40 can rotate about apivot 47, allowing a free end of the fixing rod 46, which is also a freeend of the slide rod 13, to have a change of angle of raise-up ordrop-down.

A support seat 6 is located on the aforementioned post 10, and an axisof a gravity wheel 7 is pivoted at the support seat 6. The gravity wheel7 provides certain resistance force, and is coupled with the pulley 5with a belt 71. When the user operates the exercise machine, forceexerted to hands and feet can be increased to content against theresistance, enabling the user to have another option of taking a moredemanding exercise.

When the elliptical exercise machine of the present invention operates,two feet of the user will step on the foot pedals 35, and two hands willhold the handle parts 21 of the left and right arms 2. At a same timewhen the user is taking the hand and foot exercises, the pedal rod 34will manifest an exercise state as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, so as to forma foot path like an elliptical path P in FIG. 3. To change an angle ofthe elliptical path, the inner screw 42 of the stretcher 43 will beextended outward by the motor 41, enabling an angle formed between atail end of the slide rod 13 and a horizontal plane to be changed, so asto increase a raise angle, as in FIG. 7 which shows an exercise statewhen the raise angle is changed, wherein an upward elliptical path Q isformed. This elliptical path Q is different from the elliptical path Pin FIG. 3, in the angle with respect to the horizontal plane. In otherwords, the raise angle of the elliptical path Q is larger than that ofthe elliptical path P. This exercise state is like running up a slopethat the resistance to exercise can be increased. This kind of designfacilitates the user to adjust magnitude of the resistance to exercisewhich is formed by a variation of angle of the raise angle member,according to his or her physical condition, thereby being provided withflexibility and practicability.

Referring to FIG. 8, a bottom end of the frame seat 30 at the tail endof the link rod 31 can be provided with semi-circular notches 301 ratherthan an original straight plane. This kind of design allows the roller33 to smoothly move on the slide rod 13, and prevents a bottom of theframe seat 30 from being abutted with the slide rod 13.

Accordingly, an elliptical path of an elliptical exercise machine of thepresent invention is changed by a raise angle member. As this kind ofstructure has not been disclosed in publications nor publicly used in amarket, it is provided with novelty. On the other hand, by adjusting astretcher, the elliptical path can be changed, so as to achieve anotherway for changing resistance to exercise, thereby being provided with avalue of practical utility.

It is of course to be understood that the embodiments described hereinis merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that awide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilledin the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas set forth in the following claims.

1. An elliptical exercise machine comprising: a foot base, which is putup on a floor, and is provided with a front underframe and a rearunderframe, with the front underframe being extended with an uprightpost, a pulley being disposed on the aforementioned post, and left andright sides of the pulley being provided respectively with a crank; apair of left and right arms, which is disposed at two sides of theaforementioned post, with an upper end of each of the left and rightarms being a handle part to be held by a user; a pair of left and rightfoot pedaling members, each including a link rod, a pedal rod, and anadjustment rod, with an end of the aforementioned link rod being pivotedon the aforementioned crank, a rear end being provided with a frame seaton which is disposed with a movable roller, an end of the adjustment rodbeing pivoted on the aforementioned arm, the other end being pivoted onthe link rod, an end of the pedal rod being pivoted on theaforementioned arm at a location close to a bottom end, a tail end beingcrossed over on the aforementioned link rod with a roller, and a topsurface at a tail end of the aforementioned pedal rod being disposedwith a foot pedal to be stepped on by the user, and; a raise anglemember including a shaft seat and a drive seat, with the drive seatbeing provided with a motor, and a stretcher, left and right sides ofthe aforementioned shaft seat each being fixed on the aforementionedrear underframe with a bracket, the shaft seat being extended with aplurality of slide rods allowing the roller at the tail end of theaforementioned link rod to cross over thereon, a bottom end of eachslide rod being fixed with a fixing rod, the drive seat being disposedon the aforementioned rear underframe, the drive seat being providedwith the stretcher, and one end of the stretcher being pivoted on theaforementioned fixing rod; with this kind of structure, when the motoroperates to result in a change of stroke of elongation or shortening foran inner screw of the aforementioned stretcher, the shaft seat rotatingabout a pivot, which allows a free end of the fixing rod, also a freeend of the slide rod, to have a change of angle of raise-up ordrop-down, thereby forming an elliptical path of a different raiseangle.